Marcus Freeman doesn’t want to rush into resolving his quarterback situation. He prefers to take his time, carefully weigh the pros and cons, and make a decision at the appropriate moment. Notre Dame had three quarterbacks who are all capable of starting this season, which is an impressive follow-up to their run to the national championship game. Freeman also expressed pride in the fact that it’s remarkable to have three quarterbacks who can potentially lead the team toward completing the mission they fell short of last year, especially given the talent assembled on the roster. However, the lingering question remains: who will carry on the legacy of Riley Leonard in the future? Currently, the competition is a two-man race between CJ Carr and Kenny Minchey.

Minchey is good, but Carr is rolling on fire. If spring game statistics hold some value, Carr racked up 14 of 19 for 170 yards, two touchdowns, and one interception. Minchey went 6-of-14 for 106 yards and a rushing touchdown, along with a backflip. Steve Angeli also showed up well. But after he felt the crowd in the Irish QB room, he quickly moved on with Syracuse to be a primary starter.

“I love the nucleus, love the identity of the program, so the quarterback position is going to get all the attention. Riley Leonard leaves, and typically in this sport when you’ve got a departing quarterback and the guy who’s going to take over for him in this case, CJ Carr, hasn’t really started,” Josh Pate subtly tilted toward Carr in the intense QB race while addressing some inevitable uncertainty. “It’s a big question mark and yes, it is for Notre Dame as well.”

Carr’s arm strength has been a pure cinematic display for the fans this spring. His throws alone were screaming that he had something that South Bend had never seen before. The calm and poised presence in the pocket is a bonus. Legs don’t exude a giant tempo to beat anyone, but they are athletic enough to run and make the defenders run.

Pate continued capitalizing on his stance. “He could be really good. Also, as much as that may be a question mark, the ceiling is higher this year for the quarterback position than it has been in the last couple of years there. So, for everyone who wants to label it a question mark and it could be a bust, well, okay, “Pate triggered a feasible hype, “But it could be a question mark, and he ends up playing better than anyone, Marcus Freeman’s had there so far.”

Freeman has seen enough success in his first three seasons with Drew Pyne, Sam Hartman, and Riley Leonard, but they are still looking for that X factor that can fill the slim gap between championship-worthy and a champion franchise.

CJ Carr brews strong hope to be the one. But he can be a risky gamble. He lacks real game experience. So the pain will have to be dealt with caution. Regardless, Freeman, on the other hand, is making sure his defense runs on the same page with an elite quarterback-led offense.

Notre Dame stands firm in the recruiting wins 

Marcus Freeman is revolutionizing the Notre Dame culture. A man known for his humility goes beyond the NIL money and the typical tricks and strategies while drawing talent to the program. He values raw authenticity over flashes of big fat promises.

Everybody knows what the Irish can offer both in terms of sport and academics. But Freeman reaches beyond. He encourages coaches and players to bring their families to practice. The Fighting Irish head coach also wants to model for his players the value of being a family man: “I want them to see us as fathers and as husbands because those lessons that they learn from watching us will last forever.”

Do you still doubt that with such kind of values and approach, Freeman won’t have the ability to draw any talent he sets his eyes on? Well, look at the latest gun that surrendered to his principle and hospitality. The recruiting hot streak received a late-week boost when 4-star Tiki Hola pledged his commitment to the school. The Bastrop, Texas, prospect had Irish, USC, and SMU in his final top 3. USC has been the fiercest competition among all. The Notre Dame football team already has 15 pledges in its 2026 class. But the latest win over USC feels different. It remains to be seen whether or not all these portal efforts ultimately hit the jackpot for the Irish.